The Role of Certain Steroids in the Adrenal-Hyaluronidase Relationship *

It has been reported previously that the dermal spread of India ink with hyaluronidase is markedly influenced by the hormones of the adrenal cortex.'6' Removal of the adrenals resulted in an enhancement of the spreading reaction, while the administration of a potent extract of the adrenal cortex either in the adrenalectomized or normal animal inhibited spreading. However, desoxycorticosterone acetate was found to be without effect. These observations indicated some specific relationship between hyaluronidase inhibition and chemical structure of the adrenal cortex steroids. In the present study several pure steroids have been investigated in an attempt to define more accurately the structural or hormonal factors that are related to the inhibition of the hyaluronidase-enhanced spreading phenomenon. The primary object of this study was to determine which steroids would cause an inhibition of the spreading reaction when conditions were provided that permit adrenal cortical extracts to exert maximal effects. It was hoped that a better understanding of the adrenal-hyaluronidase relationship would be obtained in this way, although it was recognized that conditions of the experiments should be altered in order to obtain complete information regarding the influence of steroids on the spreading reaction.